About Course Groups

Your Click to toggle glossary term definition: <begin definition> instructorA user who is developing, teaching, or facilitating a class. The information and tasks directed at this audience require access to a course's Control Panel in Blackboard Learn. <end definition>. can create groups of Click to toggle glossary term definition: <begin definition> studentsA user who is participating in a class. The information and tasks directed at this audience do not require access to the Control Panel in Blackboard Learn. <end definition>. within a course. Groups usually consist of a smaller group of users in a course, such as study groups or project groups. These course groups have their own area in the course to collaborate. These spaces are equipped with tools that can assist each group member. Within Group page, you may:

Send email

Exchange files

Enter discussion forums

Enter collaboration sessions

Change the position of individual modules by dragging and dropping

Your instructor can provide Communication and Collaboration tools that only group members can access, such as a private File Exchange area, a Group Discussion Board, and a Group Journal.

Your instructor will either place you into a group by selecting your group for you, assigning students in random groups or allowing you to select the group you want to join.

How do I remove someone from a group I created?

You can only access a group within a course, and there are several ways to access a group.

Groups page link: The Groups page link appears on the Click to toggle glossary term definition: <begin definition> Course MenuThe course menu appears on the left side of the course window. Users click button or text links to access all course content, such as content areas, individual tools, web links, course links, and module pages. <end definition>. or in a Click to toggle glossary term definition: <begin definition> Content AreaA top-level container that contains links to content an instructor has added to the course, such as lecture notes, assignments, and tests. Content areas appear as links on the course menu. <end definition>.. The Groups page lists all available groups and sign-up sheets for self-enroll groups.

My Groups panel: The My Groups panel appears following the Course Menu. The My Groups panel provides direct links to the group space for each group you belong to. You can expand the panel to reveal all the tools that are available for the group to use. If you are enrolled in a group, the panel appears automatically.

Group Link: A Group Link is a link to a single group, sign-up sheet, or the Groups page made available in a course area.

The group homepage is the center for group activity and can contain a description of the group, a list of members, and tools. If your instructor permits, this page can be customized by adding a banner, selecting a color scheme, and adding Personal Modules, such as My Calendar or Report Card, which are visible only to the member who added the modules. Access Group Tools and Group Members here.

Each group has its own space in the course to work together. When inside your group, you will find the tools your instructor has made available to you. Your instructor may not turn on all the available tools. Be sure to ask about any tools you want to use but do not find on your groups page. Review any instructions provided by your instructor on how to use these tools to complete group work. Tools that can be made available to a group include:

Collaboration: Users within the group can create and attend chat sessions and virtual classroom sessions.

File Exchange: Group members and your instructor can share files in this area. All members, as well as your instructor, can add files. They can also delete files, regardless of who added them.

Group Blog: In the group area, all members of a group can create entries for the same blog, building on one another. Any course member can read and comment on a group blog, but cannot make entries if they are not a member of the group. Your instructor can select the grade option for group blogs.

Group Discussion Board: Users within the group can create and manage their own forums and discuss topics with only the group members.

Group Journal: When used in the group area, all members of a group can view each other's entries, but the group journal can only be viewed by the group and your instructor. Your instructor can select the grade option for journals.

Group Task: Users within the group can create tasks that are distributed to all group members.

Group Wiki: Users within the group can edit, and view their group wiki. Your instructor can view and edit a group wiki and can select the grade option for group wikis.

Send Email: Users within the group can email individual members or the entire group.

On the Click to toggle glossary term definition: <begin definition> Course MenuThe course menu appears on the left side of the course window. Users click button or text links to access all course content, such as content areas, individual tools, web links, course links, and module pages. <end definition>., select the Click to toggle glossary term definition: <begin definition> Content AreaA top-level container that contains links to content an instructor has added to the course, such as lecture notes, assignments, and tests. Content areas appear as links on the course menu. <end definition>. that holds the group.

You can create course groups that other users in the course can sign up to join on the Groups page.

On the Click to toggle glossary term definition: <begin definition> Course MenuThe course menu appears on the left side of the course window. Users click button or text links to access all course content, such as content areas, individual tools, web links, course links, and module pages. <end definition>., select the Click to toggle glossary term definition: <begin definition> Content AreaA top-level container that contains links to content an instructor has added to the course, such as lecture notes, assignments, and tests. Content areas appear as links on the course menu. <end definition>. that holds the group.

Your instructor can choose whether to allow you to self-enroll in a course group. The instructor also has the option to display the names of other members of the group to help you choose which group to join.

The instructor can choose whether to display the sign-up sheet on the groups listing page and add the sign-up sheet as a link from other areas, such as a Content Area, folder, Learning Module, or Lesson Plan.

On the Groups page, click Sign Up to access the sign-up sheet. On the Sign Up Sheet page, when you click Sign Up, you are automatically added to the group.